Lock.



(Applicatiomad Kay 5, 1902.)

(lo Model.)

UNITED STAT-'Es PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. ALLEN, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, AssIeNoR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK E. FINNEY, oF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,51`4, dated Ju1y'1, 1902.I

Application filed May 5, 1902. Serial Nei 106,012. (No model.) i

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. ALLEN,'a citizen of the United States,'residingV at Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Burglar-Proof Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specitication.

My invention relates to locks of the multiple-key class,in which a main key is used for insertion into a keyhole for f actuating the bolt, and supplemental keysfare employed upon the inside of the lock, which may be inserted and Withdrawn at will a'nd which control the action of the tumblers; and it has for its object the provision of a simple and novel lock which is practically burglar-proof and whichwcannot be OperatedV unless all of the keys are in the possession of the operator. l The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically! pointed out in the claims. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the interior of the lock withV the bolt withdrawn and with the supplemental keys in' place. View showing the bolt projected and the supplemental keys withdrawn. Fig. 3 is a corresponding yiew of the upper part of the lock with the supplemental keys replaced and with the parts in a still further position oflocking adjustment. Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations of the supplemental keys. Fig. 6' isasectional end elevation of the lock with its key and knobs on the dotted line m of Fig. l looking to the left. v -Y y The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures. f 1

A A represent'the lock-case, which may be of any suitable construction, and in this instance it is com-posed of a rectangular recessedbody portion A, containing the work ing parts, and a covering-plate A', Fig.` 6, which is bolted or screwed thereto to hold the working parts in their recesses. Within the lower horizontal recess of the part A is guided the locking-bolt B, which is actuated to 'project the bolt by a crank-piece C, fast on Fig. 2 is a corresponding the knob-shaft D, which projects through the lock-casing and is provided-with knobs E on each end. The crank-piece C occupies a re cess a in the portion A and engages a shoulder b, Figs-1 and 2, on the lower edge of the bolt. A spring-c in a'recess dV has one end engaging witha notch e in the lower edge of the bolt and is so arranged that when the bolt is projected into locking position said spring is put under tension, as seen in Fig. 2.

To hold the b oltlocked in its projected position, three Vertical tumblers F G H are employed, 'which are confined in recesses in the portion A and which drop by gravity into three notchesfg h, respectively, in the upper edge ofthe bolt, as seen iny Fig. 2, and thus hold the bolt securely lockedwhen it is projected. Upon raisingthese tumblers, in

a manner to be presently explained, the bolt is freed andthe spring c retracts it to the position shown in'Fig. 1. The rear end of the bolt-A in this instance projects through the back of the case and is headed to form a stop limiting the 'movement'of projection of the bolt, though this is a mere incident of construction and not at all essential to the inven.

tion.

Above the bolt-recess there is a second horizontal recess l, Fig. 2, in the portion A, which is open at the rear edge of the case and forms la `keywayfor two supplemental keys J K,

which can be inserted side by side, as seen in .Figs. 1 and 6, and which occupy slots cut into the front faces of the tumblers F G H. The

keyJ has notches t' upon its lower edge to permit the tumblers to be raised to release the boltB, as seen in Fig. l, when said keyisen-y tirely inserted, and the forward upper side of lsaid -key is rounded or beveled off, as shown, Vfor the purpose of raising a supplemental tumbler L, guided in a verticalrecessin the portion A and whose purpose will be presently explained.

The key K, which is inserted in the recess I after the key J has -been inserted and has raised the tumbler L, has three projections or tangs j upon its upper edge, which when the key is entirely inserted come directly in line with the recesses in which the tumblers F G H operate and which bear directly upon the shoulders formed by the slotting or reeessing of said tumblers, as seen in Figs. l and 3.

Between the tumblers G I-I there is a keyrecess Z in the portion A, having a keyhole m for the insertion of a key 'n from either` side of the lock. The construction of this key is exceedingly simple, audit need have no wardslots and may be simply a blank, its only essential beingthat it shall be suiiiciently iiat or narrow to be inserted into the keyhole right side up or upside down, as desired. Vhen inserted right side up and turned, it engages a lug or shoulder o upon the middle tumbler G, so that the raising of said tumbler by the engagement of the key with said shoulder will bodily raise the supplemental key K, and thereby lift the outer tumblers F H simultaneously. In this way by the operation of the key the three tumblers are simultaneously lifted out of the notches fg h to permit the spring c to retract the bolt B, the position of the parts being indicated after this movement in Fig. 1. In this position the keys J K are both locked within the case from withdrawal; but the moment the bolt is projected into locking position, as in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, said keys may be drawn entirely out of the lock-case and be laid aside or put into the pocket of the operator. When this is done, it is apparent that no key inserted into the keyhole, no matter what its construction, can release the lock, for the most that such key could do, or even the rightful key, would be to lift the middle tumbler G alone, leaving the tumblers F H to hold the bolt locked, for it is required that to operate the three tumblers simultaneously it is necessary that the key K be inserted with its tangs in line with said tumblers, as before explained and as will be readily understood. I provide, however, another safeguard against tampering with or picking the lock, which consists in the provision of what I will call a supplemental ward-slide M, which is contained in a horizontal recess or guideway p in the portion A, above the top of the tumblers. This supplemental ward-slide has notches r in its lower edge, which under the normal adjustment of said slide register with the upper ends of the tmmblers to permit them to be raised into said notches under the action of the key n in unlocking the bolt B, as seen in Fig. l, and which slide when in this position has its outer end projecting into a notch s in the supplemental tumbler L to hold the same raised out of action.

Pivoted to the wall of `the portion A, behind the keys J K, as at t, Fig. 2, is a verticallydisposed lever O, whose upper end has a lateral projection engaging a perforation u in the slide M, and Whose lower end is in the path of the key within the recess Z.

When the key is inserted in the keyhole upside down and then slipped up, it can be made to engage with either side of the lever O, and

by turning the key said lever can be vibrated to shift the slide M to one side or the other.

' As seen in Fig. 3, if the slide is shifted to the left while the supplemental keys J K are in place solid portions of said slide come over the tops of the tumblers and prevent the same from being raised by the action of the key on the lug o. Again, if the supplemental keys .I K are Withdrawn, permitting the supplemental tumbler L to drop down to the position shown in Fig. 2, the slide M may be shifted to the right over the top of said tumbler, thereby holding the same locked down and preventing the reinsertion of the supplemental keys, as will be readily understood.

By the above-described very simple mechanisrn I provide a lock which cannot be picked by any one, provided the supplemental keys .I K are withdrawn, and which when the slide M is shifted to the position of Fig. 2 to lock down the supplemental tumbler L will prevent the introduction of any supplemental keys except by the operator of the lock, who has a key so shaped that when turned upside down and inserted it can throw the lever O to shift the slide M to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Iy the foregoing exceedingly simple means I provide a lock which has threefold safeguards against its being tampered with, although the key n may be of the simplest character. Of course it is understood that the key 'a may be specially shaped and the lug o specially located, as well as the location of the lower engaging end of the lever O, that only a certain key can be used for a given lock.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claiml. In a lock, the combination of a springretracted bolt, means for projecting said bolt, a series of locking-tumblers adapted to engage said bolt and lock it when projected, a main key for positively actuating one of said tumblers, and a supplemental removable key which, when inserted, engages all of said tumblers, whereby the actuation of one of said tumblers through the main key is transmitted to the other tumblers through the supplemental key to release the bolt, substantially as described.

2. In a lock, the combination of a springretracted bolt, means for projecting said bolt, a series of locking-tumblers adapted to engage said bolt and lock it when projected, a main key for positively actuating one of said tumblers, a supplemental removable key which, when inserted, engages all of said tumblers, a Ward-slide above said tumblers and means for actuating said Ward slide through the main key to lock said tumblers against action, substantially as described.

3. In a lock, the combination of a springretracted bolt, means for projecting said bolt, a series of locking-tumblers adapted to engage said. bolt and lock it when projected,

IOO

IIO

Io scribed. v

4. The herein-described lock comprising the bolt B, with its tumbler-notches fg h, the

spring c and knob-crank C`for said bolt, the

tumblers F, G,'H, the main key for actuating one of said tumblers, the supplemental keys J K, the Wardeslide M, the lever 0,andy the supplemental tumbler L, the parts being constructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose substantially asvdescribed.

y JOHN F. ALLEN. f Witnesses:

EDWARD PEOK,

FRANK` B. FINNEY. 

